A while ago, I was posed a sincere question by a curious Gen Z’er, “How do you stay so young?”
With zero assumption that I have cornered the market on any fountain of youth, I asked for a bit of clarification. He spoke to the idea of being fun to be around, regardless of audience or age.
I said, “Two things. One, stay active. And two, stay interested in other people.” Don’t get stuck in your own generation. The key is learning from those who are different than you.
As I’ve watched those Gen Z’ers, late Millennials and even the newest Generation Alpha, I have learned much. They have exposed me to everything from TikTok to EDM and Joe Rogan.
Being interested in other generations, no less, doesn’t mean concluding that they are all good or all bad; there are aspects of every generation that are healthier and not. But I was struck that in a generation that seems uniquely better in valuing and discussing mental health than the eras that have preceded them, they also are one of the first generations to grow up with social media as a life constant. Social media has given us some good things — i.e. the ability to catch up and keep up with family and friends from far away… the ability to share information more quickly… even promote businesses and learning opportunities.
But social media is also built on the world of comparison — i.e. how good or successful I am primarily depends on how it stacks up against other people. Other potential perils include privacy concerns, cyberbullying, and the spread of untrue information. The danger to one’s mental health is clear.
The mistake, however, is thinking this is only for the younger generations.
Last week I witnessed an online conversation between multiple seemingly intelligent, older adults that went literally like this…
Person #1: “Yeah, all those morons who support that…”
Person #2: “They are cognitively limited…”
Person #3: “We need to belittle the hell out of them!”
Person #4: “They’re not open to learning.”
Person #5: “Nothing but shame will work!”
How disrespectful. How awful. I continue to be befuddled by those whose conversational bravery and bluntness only come to life behind the protection of a keyboard.
But let us not add to the generous shame that comes far too easy from many these days. After all, my sense is that if a person posts something to one of their sites, their desire is to actually be heard. So how can we be heard? Let us suggest the following if one actually desires to make a difference and for others to pay attention:
- Be responsible in posting. Be honest, thoughtful and aware of the larger audience. Exercise good judgment and common sense. Recognize rants are more suitable in private conversation.
- Be accurate, including the correction of mistakes. Make sure you have all of the facts before you post. Watch re-posting and links from notably biased resources. If you make a mistake, admit it. Be upfront and quick with your correction. Humble, too.
- Don’t over post. Too many posts in too little time can overwhelm your followers, leading to audience fatigue. The quality of your content is more important than the quantity. Over posting dilutes impact.
- Ask if it passes the publicity test. If the content of your message would not be acceptable for face-to-face conversation, by phone, or other mediums, it’s not wise to post. Ask, too, “Would I want to see this published on a billboard tomorrow or ten years from now?”
- Show Respect. Respect your peers. Refrain from publishing content that contains slurs, personal insults or attacks, and/or profanity or obscenity. You are more likely to achieve your goals or sway others to your beliefs if you are constructive and respectful while discussing a bad experience or disagreeing with a concept or person. Be civil. Shame no one. Avoid any attempt to humiliate.
Just a few tips… in wanting to actually be heard… that is, for all generations.
Respectfully…
AR
[Editorial Note: Contributions to our social media guidelines were made by Penn State University, Tennessee State University, Western Oregon University and more.]